More sunbathers will be able to spread out their towels and relax in the sun today, thanks to an 800 square metre extension of St George’s Bay that was started and completed yesterday.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech went on site yesterday to see some 1,700 tonnes of sand from Jordan being deposited and spread out on the bay.

The minister said that the extension was being carried out as a result of the bay’s popularity, with over 100,000 swimmers using the beach last year.

The work started at around 1am yesterday and had been completed by the evening. The beach will be open to the public as usual today.

Dr Zammit Dimech pointed out that, thanks to close collaboration between the government and various entities, the beach had been awarded Blue Flag status.

He added that the government is working to improve the quality of other beaches, such as Mellieha Bay and the perched beach in Bugibba, to Blue Flag status.

“Although it won’t be long before the perched beach will qualify for the Blue Flag, it is calculated that it will take another two years before it will be awarded to Mellieha Bay,” said Dr Zammit Dimech.

The work was intended to have been carried out in May, but a series of circumstances, including damage to the ship and bad weather, led to a delay.